Apparatus for the compression and storage of air and for creating vacuums



M. G. oNElL 1,768,923 APPARATUS FOR THE COMPRESSION AND STORAGE OF AIR AND FOR CREATING VACUUMS l Filed oct. 19, 1929 2 sheets-snee; 1

INVENTOR 729575Z owed;

July l, 1930.v M G, ONElL I 1,768,923

APPARATUS FOR THE COMPRESSION AND STORAGE OF AIR AND FOR CREATING VACUUMS Filed Oct. 19, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 1, 1930 UNITED STATES MATTHEW GRIFFIN ONEIL, OF DALLAS, TEXAS APPARATUS non THE colvrrnnssIoN ANDv STORAGE OFAIR AND non. CREATING vAcUUMs Application mea october'is, 1929. serial No. 400,815.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of an apparatus for the com- 'pression and storage of air and for creating a vacuumv whereby the vacuum may operate asapump.` l

More particularly defined the invention aims to provide an apparatus ofthe class indicated which is automatic in its functioning Vand requiring mainlyjfor its operation a continuous iow of water. v

' Moreover, the apparatus is simple in construction and is capable of use wherever com'- pressed air is required or a vacuum desired, particularly in canning plants, chemical works, packing plants, water ltersand sewage treatment plants.

Another advantageousfeature of thej invention is its compactnessiand whereby there is grouped and combinedin one unitary construction an air compressor and vacuum pump, together with an air receiver and a gas receiver. There lare also included in co'nnec tion vwith the air compressor and vacuum pump specially designed water-balanced chambers, so arranged that one may receive and store compressed air, while the other can be used to store gas recovered by the vacuum pump, or whereby both chambers can be utilized in tandem for an air compressor or for the movement of gas. The invention may be clearly understood from a perusal ofthe following detailed de scription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through one end-of theapparatus comprising the air compression chamber and the vacuum chamber, gas and air containers, and showing their association and connection with a sedimentation tank,.the latter being partly broken away. v` f Figure 2 represents a transverse'sectional view, taken on the line2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 represents a top plan view of the 5 apparatus, only a part of the sedimentation tank being shown; and i f Figure 4 is a view similar to the view'in Figure 2, and showing a part of thextank and the air container, the view being taken onv the line of Figure 3.

4and' the iioor of the chamber to having covers 15 and 14.

Proceeding in accordance withthe drawmgs, the apparatus in its preferred construction comprises a central chamber which has a covering 1 and a partition'2 whereby the i chamberisseparated into two compartments, an `air 'compressor compartment 1,- which is the larger portion ofy the division, anda `com-partment 2(which operates as a vacuum pump, as explained hereinafter) there beingk a space fbetw'een thelbottom of the partition permit water to enter the compartment2.` V

There are also provided an air receiving chamber 15 and an air receiving chamber 14,

A sedimenta- 'tion tank is shown at A, but of course the invention is `not restricted to this particular form of tank. The tank has connection with theair compression compartment 1 through the pipe 3 and each of the chambers 14 and l'are also connected to the tank A by means of they pipes *17. Communication is also y i established between the chambers 14 and 15 by means of a pipe 11 with a valve 11 which valve is closed during certain operations of the apparatus. Communication yis khad `between the compartments 14 and 15Vand the compartments 1 and 2 by pipes 12's' and 10' which are provided with checkvalves 12and 13. kThe compartments 1 and 2 havev also means in the forml of the pipes 9L and 10a for inlet of air from the atmosphere, and which pipes are provided with hand valves?` and 8. Check valves 9 and 10 are also placed on the pipes 9a and 10a. A pipe 29, connected tothepipe 9?* is provided for use in case both the chambers 14 and 15 are to bev used for gas storage. Pipes 25 and 26, havinghand valves 25 and 26 are for the purpose of permitting the air to be'drawn` off inv delivery.A Connected to the air compression vchamber `1 is a siphon 6. v

In the operation ofthe apparatus, and as-V suming that the, valve 8 is closed, thetank A filled with water to Vthe level indicated at 16, and withthe siphon 6 primed with water in its lower leg B, and thewater flowing from the tank A throughthepipe Sinto the compression chamber 1: it is apparent that the water level will be maintained atv the asthe Water in tank A, as is indicated at 16a,

but on entrance of the air from the compartment 1 a portion of this water is displaced, it being forced back into the'tanlr A. This air pressure is maintained bythe closed position of the .check valve 13 and `the Weighty of 4the LWater applied through the pipe 17 from the Water level at 16 in tank A.

ln like manner the air contained the compartment 2 passes through the check valve 1 2 and into the chamber 15 andthe introduction of this compressed air depresses the Water level which normally was at 16a and this compression is also maintained by meansof the closing of the check valve 12 and the Weight of the waterfrom its level at 1 6 of tank A, passingthrough the pipe 17. l

Then the compartments 1 and 2 are illed with watenthe Weight of the Water in pipe 3, `which has reached the level shown in this pipe, caused by the beck-flow `of the water passing from the chambers 14 and 15, there will be an overbalancing of the Water inthe lower leg .0f the Siphon 6, and the Water will be .dnawn oitA rapidly through the siphon. Mythe Water is thus lowered in the compartment 1, the gate valve 7 being open, the check valve 10 will open, Ybecause .the air pressure has in 'themcantime ,been drawn off through the pipe 26, thus relieving the pressure on the check valve 10.' rvCheck valve 13 will then close. Y 4Pipe lO'thenacts as a vent permitting a fresh chargeof air to enterthe compartment 1, as the Water is drawn oit by the Siphon. During this operation, air com.- pressed in the compartment 2 -Will pass through the check valve 12 into the chamber 1.5 and be (lr-LWB .Off through the exit pipe 25, thewater in chamber 15 being partly forced back into tank-A as in the operation ot the chamber 14,

Where the operation of the two `chambers 14 and 15 are both utilized for compressing air-the procedure is the same vfor each chamk ber 1.4; .and 15 and they. operate in tandem as will be obvious from the preceding explanation, '7Vli en so used the valve 2 7 on pipe 24 is closed.,

The apparatus, however, is ,Capable 0f Oneration with one of the chambers, say cham- 14 tor arcomplesson and chamber l5 for the ccllcetionof, gaeln Such instance the hand valve S will be closed., consequently valve?) Willnot be allowed to. operate as a vent to draw in air, When so used the compartment 2 Will vent through the pipe 24, the check valve 23 on this pipe being allowed to operate, the hand valve 27 being open. Obviously,` then, gas from an outside source .can be drawn in through the pipe 241, the compartment?. operating as a vacuum pump, and the gas discharged into the gas receiving chamber 15 and drawn off through the pipe 25 instead of compressed air. As the gas is expelled from this compartment 2, the `cheek valve 23 of course will be closed, permitting the compression and expulsion of the gas into the. chamber 15. In the operation of both the chambers 14 and 15 for storage of .-air under compression, the valve 11 is opened and both valves 7 and 8 will also be opened.

like `manner both chambers 14 and 15 canbe utilizedfor the recovery of gas by operating as a vacuum pump, the vacuum being vformed in both compartments 1 and 2. In this case 'both valves 7 and 8 will then be ,closed and the 'valves 27 and 29 opened. The vacuum or suction .of the gas `Will then be through the pipe 24 into compartment 2 and .will opera-te ,through hand valve 29 (which is opened) into the compartment 1.

The compartments 1 and 2 and the chambers 14 Iand15 are so -constructed that when operating as `an `air compressor,each cycle in its operation will convert the same number of cubic feet of `free air into compressed air, as .the number of cubic feet of Water required to l.complete one cycle of operation, and sim# ilarly when operating as a vacuum pump, the number Lof cubic feet of Water Vrequired to create onecycle of the pump will create a vacuum, equivalent/sto the removal of approXimately that amount of gas.

The air or gas chambers kand compartments being jfree of moving parts, may be placed below the surface of the ground and hence are not subject to freezing as are the floating type of gasometers. The amount of compression obtainable kwill be governed by the distance froml the Water level in pipe Sto the Water level in compartment 1 at the moment the siphon'starts ilowing; While the amount of vacuumA pull will be determined by the distance thewater level falls in compartment 2duringone cycle of operation.

The invcntionis not necessarily restricted to the precise l construction here shown, but is capableof modifications and changes such as Will be withinthe :scope and meaning of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. An apparatus ,of the character described, comprising a Water supply tank, a plurality of air receivingy chambers, an air compression chamber divided into two `compartments; and aV siphon; means for establishingopen communication between .said air receiving Qhambersand said air compression chamber.; a pipe connecting sadvtank with said air compression chamber; each of said chambers being closed; air inlets for said air compression chamber and air outlets for said air receiving chambers; the arrangement being such that air in said air compression chamber will be compressed and forced into said air receiving chambers as the water from said tank iiows into and fills said compression chambers; said compression chamber being emptied of water by the siphon and simultaneously drawing in air to again fill the air compression chamber to complete the' cycle.

2. An apparatus of the character described and as claimed in claim l, said compression chamber including both compartments each having a pipe with a check valve connecting the compartments to saidl air receiving cham bers, and a piped connection between each of said air receiving chambers and said tank; said check valves permitting the air under pressure to pass into said air receiving chambers and depressing the water in said chambers to force'somey of the water back into the tank, the water in said air receiving chambers and said check valves maintaining said air pressure.

3. An apparatus of the charact-er described and as claimedin claim 1, said air compression chamber being on a plane below the tank, said pipe connecting said compression the air; said first-mentioned pipe for the purpose of forming a vacuum in said compartments as the water is expelled through the siphon, the vacuum drawing in gas, said gas being forced into said chambers instead of air, said chambers storing the gas under pressure.

6. Anapparatus of the character described and as claimed in claim l, said air compres sion chamber including the compartments being supplied with an additional pipe for inlet of gas when a vacuum is created, said air inlets `for the compression chamber including valve means, said valve means being closed and the yadditional pipe opened toadmit gas, said gas being forced into said air receiving chambers by the vacuum created by the emptying of the compression chamber of Water.'

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

MATTHEW GRIFFIN ONEIL.

chamber to the tank being on a plane with the normal level of the water in said tank, whereby when the water in said tank fills said compression chamber, the air receiving chambers will maintain the level in the tank by forcing part of the water in said chambersback into said tank.

4. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a water supply tank and an aircompression tank, including a plurality of air-receiving chambers for collecting air under pressure; open communication between said compression chamber and said receiving chambers; open communication between yeach of said air collecting chambers and said tank, whereby each of said air collecting chambers normally contains a supply of water from the tank; a siphon connected to said air compression chamber, whereby when said chamber is filled with water and the air expelled under pressure into said air receiving chambers, part of the water in said latter charm chamber and including valves; pipes for each compartment with valve means for introduc` tion of air and for closing the pipes to cut off 

